Video games commonly feature game play in which a game player sees a three dimensional (3D) display while controlling the movements of a game character or some other object with a game controller, joy stick or keyboard. Some video games allow the game player to watch a recording of a previously played game. By watching the recording, the player may be able to see what mistakes and accomplishments were made during game play. The game player can learn from this review. Then, the game player can try playing the game again and perhaps do better.
Some video games allow the game player to see a recording of prior game play in different ways. In these video games, the game player can view the prior game play forwards, backwards, in slow motion, or in fast motion. To do this, the player gives viewing commands when operating the video game that are similar to those given when operating a Digital Video Disc (DVD) player.
An example of recording game play is seen in the Sega Rally™ video game provided by the Sega Corporation, of San Francisco, Calif., U.S.A. In this video game, a game player can see a ‘ghost car’ in a car race. The images of the ghost car are actually a recording of a car race during prior game play. This video game can be played in a mode in which the game player controls a car in a race against the ghost car. In this mode, for instance, the images of the ghost car that the game player sees can be a replay of the personal best race of the game player. In effect, the game player races against the ghost car in an attempt to beat their own personal best race.
Some video games allow the game player to speed up or slow down game play. An example of this is seen in the Max Payne video game provided by the Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., U.S.A. In this video game, a game character can move in “bullet time”, in which the game character has the ability to move much faster. To aid the game player in an appreciation of the game character's fast moves, all game play during the bullet time is presented to the player in slow motion. As such, fast moving objects, including the game character, are seen moving in slow motion while slow moving objects appear to be stationary. The bullet time effect is accomplished by rendering of all objects in the scene in slow motion.
Thus, conventional video games allow a game player to record and replay prior game play, as well as to speed up or slow down game play. As such, conventional video games show all objects in all scenes moving in the same dimension of time. Video games have yet to allow a game player to control the movements of some objects during game play in the fourth dimension—time. In the interest of further technical advancement in video gaming and in attracting game players by providing exciting game play, it would be an advantage in the art to provide a video game that allows the game player to control the movements of some of the objects in game play not only in the three dimensions, but also in the fourth dimension. Just such a video game is disclosed in this patent.